BA crews set to accept new deal

A deal has been reached to end the long-running British Airways cabin crew dispute

British Airways cabin crew have signalled the end of their bitter 18-month dispute with the airline, removing the threat of fresh strikes this summer.

A mass meeting of Unite members voted almost unanimously to put a new deal to a ballot of around 7,000 workers, with a recommendation to accept.

Union leaders said they believe there will be a huge vote in favour when the result is known next month, finally bringing to an end one of the longest-running industrial disputes for years.

More than 1,000 Unite members met in a marquee close to Heathrow Airport to be told that the main areas of dispute had been resolved following weeks of talks between general secretary Len McCluskey and BA chief executive Keith Williams.

Under the agreement, travel concessions removed from cabin crew who took part in 22 days of strikes last year will be restored from July. Disciplinary action taken against dozens of Unite members will be referred to the conciliation service Acas, ending another sticking point to a peace deal.

Mr McCluskey said a two-year pay rise had also been agreed, giving rises of 4% this year and 3.5% next year, subject to productivity agreements.

He praised the cabin crew for their "determination and solidarity" and also welcomed the efforts of Mr Williams, who took over from Willie Walsh last year following BA's merger with Spanish carrier Iberia.

Mr McCluskey said: "We are recommending this deal because we believe it is an honourable settlement. There is a change within the management psyche at BA, driven by the chief executive. If we embrace that, we are confident that the future will be good."

A BA spokesman said: "On behalf of our customers, we are very pleased the threat of industrial action has been lifted and that we have reached a point where we can put this dispute behind us.

"Our agreement with Unite involves acknowledgement by the union that the cost-saving structural changes we have made in cabin crew operations are permanent. We have also agreed changes that will modernise our crew industrial relations and help ensure that this kind of dispute cannot occur again."